Monthly Archives: March 2016

Board member featured this issue is Marie Hocker, Local Afairs Manager for Ford Motor Company. Marie shares with us what she loves about Macomb, Ford’s legacy in the county and the significant investments of the Ford Motor Company in Macomb.

What does Macomb mean to you?

Macomb is a community with strong assets, including great diversity and talent, growing industries and natural resources. I am consistently impressed by the opportunities that exist within the county.

Does Macomb have the talent of tomorrow?

The level of education is high in Macomb, and we have strong talent here. Business leaders have a role to play in fostering that talent in partnership with our schools. We need to ensure that students are graduating with the skills to compete for great careers and opportunities right here in our community.

Tell me about Ford’s investment in Macomb.

Ford is investing in our future workforce in Macomb County. Our “Powered by Ford” Academy in partnership with Utica Community Schools helps students make the connection between classroom learning and a career. Students learn their rigorous, standards-based core academics through projects grounded in engineering, information technology, and manufacturing.

Additionally, Ford has over 4,000 employees in Macomb County at our Sterling Axle, Van Dyke Transmission and Romeo Engine plants.

What are your favorite destinations in Macomb?

You can take me to the water along Lake St. Clair anytime. I also love a good summer concert at Freedom Hill.

Why Advancing Macomb?

I appreciate sharing a unified vision with strong business leaders that will ultimately direct resources and opportunities to Macomb County residents and businesses.

Tell me about Marie Hocker.

I grew up in Detroit and have a heart for our local communities that truly make Michigan the best state ever. I lived in Washington, DC for a few years and learned a lot, but one of the best decisions I have ever made was to come back home and be a part of the region’s revitalization. Plus, I married my first love and best friend, Ryan Hocker, in October last year, and we’re having fun! I also enjoy good food and dining at different spots, so I’m always open to suggestions. I am looking forward to kayaking along the Clinton River this spring, too…just waiting for the warm weather to stay put.

PTI Engineered Plastics, located in Macomb, Michigan, is a custom injection molder and manufacturer of plastic components and assemblies that services the medical, automotive, defense/aerospace, consumer products and electronics industries.

PTI is a good example of a manufacturer that understood the need to diversify. In 2008-2010 when the auto industry collapsed, PTI was able to make swift, strategic shifts due to its vast capabilities, and thus was able to ride out the economic storm. Cheryl Kaiser, sales & marketing CSR for PTI notes that the facility is adaptable to industry swings because of continual research into the latest technology, as well as maintaining a forward-thinking team.

As a diverse supplier, PTI’s growth pattern coincides with the market climate of that industry. For example, an ageing population is currently one of the elements driving growth in the medical device sector, and globally, the automotive industry has recovered from their economic crisis, thus, both are in a growth cycle.

PTI makes plastic parts that impact an average consumer daily. One example is a unit that a firefighter wears, comprised of 28 plastic components. This is a good example of the nature of advanced material the company is working with – this particular grade of plastic is almost equivalent to steel and can function at a high temperature.

Other products that PTI makes that may impact a consumer’s daily life includes various automotive components, including knobs, turn signals, and airbag and seatbelt components, as well as a lot of the plastic components you might see if you’re in a hospital room.

In terms of drawing the attention of the rest of the country, John Budreau, director of new business development for PTI Engineered Plastics, has noticed that companies out of state recognize Macomb County’s expertise in designing and getting a product to market and have a real need for PTI’s overall prowess in how to go about manufacturing a plastic part. Budreau notes this is especially true in the medical industry. PTI has a deep understanding of how to get a part to market quickly and effectively and allows a company to work with PTI from concept design to manufacturing the finished product.

Over the past decade, PTI has grown jobs by nearly 50% and today has a technical staff of about 280 employees over several different departments, ranging from engineering to manufacturing and more.

PTI is looking to train the next generation of workers through its PTI Technical Academy. Because there is a shortage of skilled labor in manufacturing, the academy was developed to strengthen the region’s workforce and industry. PTI’s CEO Mark Rathbone wanted to create a pathway for students that had a passion for creation and expose them to the high-tech, innovative world that manufacturing is today.

The floors of Macomb County’s manufacturing plants are abuzz with the latest technologies, churning out everything from tiny medical devices to massive aerospace components that save lives while pushing the limits of science.

They’re a far cry from the low-tech, dirty factories of the past. Macomb’s modern manufacturing facilities feature clean, brightly lit and high-tech work areas full of skilled workers…

Step into any modern manufacturing facility and you’re bound to encounter a clean, brightly lit and high tech work area. While the jobs of yesterday may have been repetitive, today’s jobs are unique and demand problem solving skills and critical thinking.

And in Macomb County, manufacturing is king. As many as one in four jobs are directly connected to the manufacturing industry, and each new manufacturing job creates 1.47 spinoff jobs to support the industry – everything from restaurant workers to firefighters.

So why Macomb? While the automotive industry has a lot to do with Macomb’s natural ability to excel in manufacturing, a key mantra over the past decade+ has been “diversify,” and diversify Macomb County has. Companies traditionally anchored in automotive have branched into aerospace, robotics, life sciences and defense, to name a few other growing industries in Macomb County.

While active diversification has played a big role in the region’s prowess in manufacturing, the nature of the people of the region can be credited as well. Macomb County has been a home for generations of skilled workers. You could say it’s in our blood.

In addition, the tool and die industry in this region is stronger than anywhere else in the world, and you cannot have a strong manufacturing base without a supportive tool and die industry.

If there’s any doubt that the rest of the country has taken notice, consider that in September of 2015, President Obama chose Macomb Community College to announce the institution is one of 46 entities selected for a share of $175 million in federal grants to develop new apprenticeship programs targeting manufacturing opportunities.

While companies around the world are taking note of Macomb County’s edge in manufacturing and choosing to locate or expand here, the other side of the coin is that companies that have long been located in Macomb County are often selected to do business with other companies headquartered out of state or internationally, simply because companies in Macomb County offer the best expertise.

Through various outreach programs and workforce development programs, tomorrow’s generation of workers (and their parents) are getting the idea that manufacturing isn’t the dirty, dull and dying industry it used to be.

Sources: Macomb County, Macomb Intermediate School District

For a more in depth look, we’re highlighting various companies and initiatives throughout Macomb County that are putting us on the map. Check back for more pieces added to this series.